Thank you very much for excellent help!
The client, a global integrated multi-energy company
The AGR Well Control team was engaged to assess a blowout incident and provide recommendations for potential well kill mitigation measures.
During a high-risk HPHT well drilling operation in the UK North Sea, the operator faced indications that one or more well flow barriers had been compromised, with potential escalation toward a blowout scenario.
The well had narrow operating margins, making real-time decision-making and well control planning especially complex.
The client needed rapid technical advisory to:
- diagnose the well flow barrier failure scenario
- understand likely hydrocarbon flow behavior and blowout potential
- evaluate viable well kill options, and
- identify the safest path to regain well control
Project location: The UK North Sea
Client: A global integrated multi-energy company
Dates: July 2025
Why we were assigned?
Our Well Control & Blowout Contingency specialists were engaged to assess the incident and develop blowout mitigation recommendations.
Our scope included:
- detailed wellbore modelling and simulation of incident conditions
- estimation of hydrocarbon flow rates and associated kill requirements,
- simulation and screening of multiple well kill scenarios,
- evaluation of blowout mitigation methods
- technical assessment of equipment and strategies needed for a successful kill
- advisory support to define the most robust strategy for restoring well integrity.
Where relevant, modelling considered the operational constraints typical of managed pressure drilling (MPD) and HPHT environments.
Our value
The study provided the operator with a technically verified basis for decisions during a critical well control operation.
By applying advanced well control simulation in assessing mitigation strategies cannot be physically tested, AGR delivered:
- a clearer understanding of flow behavior and kill feasibility
- a ranked view of mitigation options with likelihood of success,
- reduced uncertainty in planning and execution,
- time savings in a high-consequence response window
- improved confidence in safe, effective well kill decision-making.
In a challenging HPHT context with narrow margins, AGR’s analysis supported a more controlled and informed path to regain well control and reduce blowout risk.